Thursday Scholarly Notes
7/17/25
Kelly, J.N.D. (1978). "Chapter 14: Christ's Saving Work." (pp. 375-400). Harper: San Francisco. (Personal Library)
Kelly sees discussion of the nature of redemption to have been a battle-ground in the Church beginning in the 12th century. For this reason, the doctrines of soteriology were not clearly articulated in early Christianity (Kelly 1978, p. 375). However, three rather significant points of view do emerge. First, by the time of Irenaeus, we find a "physical" or "mystical" theory, in which the Incarnation by its very act transformed human nature (Kelly 1978, p. 375). Another theory suggested redemption as a ransom paid to the Devil. A third view, often called "realist," retained a focus on Christ's sufferings. Here the salient factor is Jesus' work to suffer for sins (Kelly 1978, p. 376). The three views can often be seen to complement one another As in other chapters, Kelly walks through a number of Fathers and regional schools to identify the presence of different teachings.
Athanasius typically looks to the view that, by becoming man, Christ "restored the divine image in us, but blended with this is the conviction that His death was necessary to release us from the curse of sin, and that He offered Himself in sacrifice for us" (Kelly 1978, p. 377). Only Jesus can restore us to the image of God This work is often phrased in terms of deification (Kelly 1978, p. 378). Christ's death is sufficient to pay the penalty for all men's sin. It is this which releases us from the bondage of sin (Kelly 1978, p. 380).
The fourth century Greek fathers, particularly Gregory of Nyssa, articulated a physical theory of redemption (Kelly 1978, p. 380). In the Greek Fathers, it is clear that the incarnation is the root of redemption. Jesus takes us into himself, becoming the ground of our salvation (Kelly 1978, p. 381). Jesus' resurrection is the event which particularly serves as our resurrection as well. Gregory of Nyssa also considered fallen humanity to have been the possession, in some way, of the Devil. Jesus' death therefore broke the bonds of death in which the Devil held us (Kelly 1978, p. 382). His sacrifice therefore both satisfies God's justice and rescues us from death. This same view was held by Basil of Caesarea (Kelly 1978, p. 383). These points of view could be understood as saying that God needed to pay a ransom to the Devil. John Chrysostom built a case which was less open to this charge. In his teaching, the Devil's ability to hold mankind captive was the natural result of human sin. It was the work of the sinless Jesus which made the Devil's claims to dominion over humanity null and void (Kelly 1978, p. 384). Thus no ransom was paid to the Devil. Rather, his power was broken by the application of a redeemed condition to men. The sacrifice of Christ is offered to the Father on behalf of sinful humans. This substitutionary sacrifice is clear in Eusebius of Caesarea and Cyril of Jerusalem (Kelly 1978, p. 384). This view appears in numerous other Greek Fathers.
Kelly finds that Western views of the fourth century are largely in accord with the Eastern views (Kelly 1978, p. 386). In many instances, this could be seen as a form of Platonic realism, as Jesus is the human form who recreates humanity in his own image. By his incarnation Jesus re-makes sinful humans (Kelly 1978, p. 387). He also broke the bondage to sin which involved the Devil as the one who kept sinful man imprisoned. Though Kelly finds a focus on the power of the Devil being broken by Jesus, there is also an acknowledgement tha Jesus' death served as the perfect sacrifice before God, thus releasing us from God's condemnation (Kelly 1978, p. 388). Ambrose particularly points out that the judgment against sin remained, but the one to be punished was changed from sinful man to the sinless Christ (Kelly 1978, p. 389).
Augustine drew the various threads of doctrine together, setting the tone for medieval thought in the West (Kelly 1978, p. 390). He grounded his teaching on Christ as the mediator between God and man. In his view, that biblical concept was the starting point for our understanding of salvation in Christ. Jesus' role as mediator starts with the incarnation, by which he participates in our humanity and allows us to participate in his immortality (Kelly 1978, p. 391). The Devil who held sinful man in bondage, never really had rights over man. Jesus' death broke the bondage, which had been claimed illegitimately by the Devil (Kelly 1978, p. 392). The defeat of the Devil takes place because God's justice has been satisfied, therefore the Devil is unable to make any claim at all on redeemed humans.
Kelly does not find any early fifth century figures in the East who compare with Augustine in the West (Kelly 1978, p. 395). The realist theories tend to come to prominence, in the writings, for example, of Theodore of Mopsuestia. The incarnation redeems man from sin, with the redemption being applied in the death of Christ as a ransom, both from and to God. The concept of satisfying the Devil's claim on sinful humanity fell into the background (Kelly 1978, p. 396). He was rather seen as a conquered usurper. The death of Christ, and particularly his resurrection, served to break the power of death (Kelly 1978, p. 398).
7/17/25
Kelly, J.N.D. (1978). "Chapter 14: Christ's Saving Work." (pp. 375-400). Harper: San Francisco. (Personal Library)
Kelly sees discussion of the nature of redemption to have been a battle-ground in the Church beginning in the 12th century. For this reason, the doctrines of soteriology were not clearly articulated in early Christianity (Kelly 1978, p. 375). However, three rather significant points of view do emerge. First, by the time of Irenaeus, we find a "physical" or "mystical" theory, in which the Incarnation by its very act transformed human nature (Kelly 1978, p. 375). Another theory suggested redemption as a ransom paid to the Devil. A third view, often called "realist," retained a focus on Christ's sufferings. Here the salient factor is Jesus' work to suffer for sins (Kelly 1978, p. 376). The three views can often be seen to complement one another As in other chapters, Kelly walks through a number of Fathers and regional schools to identify the presence of different teachings.
Athanasius typically looks to the view that, by becoming man, Christ "restored the divine image in us, but blended with this is the conviction that His death was necessary to release us from the curse of sin, and that He offered Himself in sacrifice for us" (Kelly 1978, p. 377). Only Jesus can restore us to the image of God This work is often phrased in terms of deification (Kelly 1978, p. 378). Christ's death is sufficient to pay the penalty for all men's sin. It is this which releases us from the bondage of sin (Kelly 1978, p. 380).
The fourth century Greek fathers, particularly Gregory of Nyssa, articulated a physical theory of redemption (Kelly 1978, p. 380). In the Greek Fathers, it is clear that the incarnation is the root of redemption. Jesus takes us into himself, becoming the ground of our salvation (Kelly 1978, p. 381). Jesus' resurrection is the event which particularly serves as our resurrection as well. Gregory of Nyssa also considered fallen humanity to have been the possession, in some way, of the Devil. Jesus' death therefore broke the bonds of death in which the Devil held us (Kelly 1978, p. 382). His sacrifice therefore both satisfies God's justice and rescues us from death. This same view was held by Basil of Caesarea (Kelly 1978, p. 383). These points of view could be understood as saying that God needed to pay a ransom to the Devil. John Chrysostom built a case which was less open to this charge. In his teaching, the Devil's ability to hold mankind captive was the natural result of human sin. It was the work of the sinless Jesus which made the Devil's claims to dominion over humanity null and void (Kelly 1978, p. 384). Thus no ransom was paid to the Devil. Rather, his power was broken by the application of a redeemed condition to men. The sacrifice of Christ is offered to the Father on behalf of sinful humans. This substitutionary sacrifice is clear in Eusebius of Caesarea and Cyril of Jerusalem (Kelly 1978, p. 384). This view appears in numerous other Greek Fathers.
Kelly finds that Western views of the fourth century are largely in accord with the Eastern views (Kelly 1978, p. 386). In many instances, this could be seen as a form of Platonic realism, as Jesus is the human form who recreates humanity in his own image. By his incarnation Jesus re-makes sinful humans (Kelly 1978, p. 387). He also broke the bondage to sin which involved the Devil as the one who kept sinful man imprisoned. Though Kelly finds a focus on the power of the Devil being broken by Jesus, there is also an acknowledgement tha Jesus' death served as the perfect sacrifice before God, thus releasing us from God's condemnation (Kelly 1978, p. 388). Ambrose particularly points out that the judgment against sin remained, but the one to be punished was changed from sinful man to the sinless Christ (Kelly 1978, p. 389).
Augustine drew the various threads of doctrine together, setting the tone for medieval thought in the West (Kelly 1978, p. 390). He grounded his teaching on Christ as the mediator between God and man. In his view, that biblical concept was the starting point for our understanding of salvation in Christ. Jesus' role as mediator starts with the incarnation, by which he participates in our humanity and allows us to participate in his immortality (Kelly 1978, p. 391). The Devil who held sinful man in bondage, never really had rights over man. Jesus' death broke the bondage, which had been claimed illegitimately by the Devil (Kelly 1978, p. 392). The defeat of the Devil takes place because God's justice has been satisfied, therefore the Devil is unable to make any claim at all on redeemed humans.
Kelly does not find any early fifth century figures in the East who compare with Augustine in the West (Kelly 1978, p. 395). The realist theories tend to come to prominence, in the writings, for example, of Theodore of Mopsuestia. The incarnation redeems man from sin, with the redemption being applied in the death of Christ as a ransom, both from and to God. The concept of satisfying the Devil's claim on sinful humanity fell into the background (Kelly 1978, p. 396). He was rather seen as a conquered usurper. The death of Christ, and particularly his resurrection, served to break the power of death (Kelly 1978, p. 398).
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